Nature's Way to Health

Folks who want to learn the secrets of natural medicine are   looking deep into the Jamaican jungle -- where natives tap the ancient forest as a rich resource for herbal cures.  Eugene Zampieron, a naturopathic doctor from the U.S., has been combing the remote hills, mountains and valleys of the lush tropical island for decades to uncover the miraculous powers of the people's tonics and potions.

The Maroons -- descendants of slaves who escaped their white masters centuries ago -- have a strong belief in the power of Mother Nature. Now, Zampieron is helping them pass their secrets on to the world. "We prepare certain medicinal herbs like root tonics that the Jamaicans use like cerasse," says Zampieron, who takes Americans interested in herbal remedies with him on trips into the Jamaican wilderness. He has found that cerasse is an excellent treatment for diabetes. Natives use the entire plant to make a tea. Jamaican dogwood is another favorite. It's a terrific muscle relaxant that eases the pain of childbirth and PMS symptoms. The leaves and bark of the tree are made into a tea. Ginger, Zampieron says, is a popular medicine used by natives to battle arthritis and other conditions. They make a ginger beer, along with balms and salves. In any form, it packs a powerful anti-inflammatory punch. Sarsaparilla is an important cleansing tonic and male potency remedy, boosting fertility and curing impotence. Jamaicans make it into a tea.

Dr. Zampieron fell in love with the unique island culture on his first visit as a high school senior. He has returned several more times during his college days. He got sick on one trip, but conventional treatments didn't help. "I had a form of dysentery that didn't respond to mainstream medicine," he recalls.  "A Maroon friend of mine suggested I go see one of the local medicine people." After using the healing herbs, his dysentery cleared up immediately and never returned. "I was amazed," Zampieron says. "I gained so much respect for the knowledge these folks had." "I changed my focus and I wanted to see if there was scientific data on the utilization of plant medicine for healing."
 

 Zampieron was so enthusiastic about what he learned, he returned to the U.S. and earned his degree in naturopathic medicine. Naturopaths are the only doctors who study botanical medicine and herbal pharmacology in their medical training.

 The jungles of Jamaica turned out to be the perfect place for Zampieron to put his education into practice.He became a modern medicine man, traveling through the bush country studying herbal healers, plant life and music. Now, four times a year he takes visitors on a ten-day trip across the island in his EcoTours of Cures. They learn how to identify, pick and prepare the life-saving herbs. "I wanted to safely take other interested folks into these pristine, remote areas of the Jamaican rain forest," he explains. "It's great that they can meet these friendly mountain people who have helped me in so many ways. They get a chance to visit the island, live with Jamaicans and ,interact with them on a one-to-one basis," he explains. Natives are eager to pass on their knowledge to the outside world, Zampieron says. "They're just happy that someone is interested in them."

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